As a basic rule, people don’t like change. Taking this into account, there can be a double edged sword with hearing aids: your life will undergo a huge change but they also will allow exciting new possibilities. That level of change can be challenging, especially if you’re the type of person that enjoys the quiet comfort of your every day routine. New hearing aids can introduce a few specific challenges. But making this change a positive one is primarily about understanding how to adjust to these devices.
Here Are Some Quick Ways to Adjust to Your New Hearing Aids
Your hearing will be dramatically enhanced whether you are moving to your first hearing aids or upgrading to a more powerful model. That could be challenging depending on your situation. Utilizing these guidelines might make your transition a bit more comfortable.
When You First Get Your Hearing Aids Only Use Them Intermittently
As a general rule, the more you use your hearing aids, the healthier your ears will be. But it can be a little uncomfortable when you’re breaking them in if you wear them for 18 hours a day. You may try to build up your stamina by starting with 8 hours and building up from there.
Pay Attention to Conversations For Practice
When you first begin using your hearing aids, your brain will probably need a little bit of time to get accustomed to the idea that it’s able to hear sounds again. During this adjustment period, it might be difficult to follow conversations or make out speech clearly. But if you want to reset the hearing-language-and-interpreting portion of your brain, you can try practicing exercises such as following along with an audiobook.
Get a Fitting For Your Hearing Aids
One of the first things you’ll do – even before you receive your final hearing aids – is go through a fitting process. Enhancing comfort, taking account of the shape of your ear canal, and adjusting for your personal loss of hearing are all things that a fitting helps with. Several adjustments may be required. It’s important to take these fittings seriously – and to see us for follow-up appointments. When your hearing aids fit well, your hearing aids will sit more comfortably and sound better. Adjustments to different environments can also be made by us.
Troubleshoot
Sometimes adapting to a new hearing aid is somewhat difficult because something’s not functioning properly. If there is too much feedback that can be uncomfortable. It can also be frustrating when the hearing aid keeps cutting out. It can be hard to adjust to hearing aids because of these kinds of problems, so it’s best to find solutions as early as you can. Try these guidelines:
- Consult your hearing expert to double check that the hearing aids are properly calibrated to your loss of hearing.
- Discuss any ringing or buzzing with your hearing expert. Occasionally, your cell phone will cause interference with your hearing aid. In other situations, it could be that we need to make some adjustments.
- If you hear a lot of feedback, ensure that your hearing aids are properly seated in your ears (it might be that your fit is just a bit off) and that there are no blockages (earwax for instance).
- Charge your hearing aids every night or exchange the batteries. When the batteries on your hearing aids begin to decline, they often don’t work as effectively as they’re meant to.
Adapting to Your New Hearing Aids Has Its Rewards
It may take a little time to adjust to your new hearing aids just as it would with a new pair of glasses. Ideally, you will have a smoother and faster transition with these recommendations. But you will be pleased by how simple it will become if you stick with it and find a routine. But before long you will be able to place your attention on what your listening to: like the day-to-day conversation you’ve been missing or your favorite tunes. These sounds remind you that all those adjustments are worth it ultimately. And sometimes change is not a bad thing.